Dr. Douglas Mashek is a Professor at the University of Minnesota. He has a primary appointment in the Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics and a secondary appointment in the Department of Medicine, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolism. He currently serves as the Associate Director of the Masonic Institute on the Biology of Aging and Metabolism and Co-Directs the T32 Training Grant in Diabetes and Endocrinology to Enhance Metabolic Healthspan. He obtained degrees from Iowa State University (BS), Michigan State University (MS), and the University of Wisconsin-Madison (PhD), and conducted postdoctoral training at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. His research focuses on understanding lipid metabolism related to the development of metabolic diseases and aging. A major research emphasis is lipid droplet biology and signaling as a key node in regulating many biological processes that impact cell function and disease etiology. Dr. Mashek has had continuous NIH Funding for ~15 years and is funding from various organizations, private institutes, and industries. He has received numerous awards including the American Diabetes Association Junior Faculty Award, the Novo Nordisk Diabetes Innovation Award, and the American Society for Nutrition E.L.R. Stockstad Award for advancements in fundamental nutrition research.